A Study of the Book of Luke
Sermon # 9
Luke 5:12-26
We have before us this morning two brief glimpses of the God’s incredible power. As Jesus crosses paths with two needy persons we are privileged to get a glimpse of his power and authority. Two individuals who discover that Jesus is their only hope. First notice with me:
“And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
The poor man who came to Jesus was desperately ill the text says that he was “full of leprosy.” An analogy for today would be when the surgeon does exploratory surgery and gives the report, that a person is “full of cancer.” It means that the disease has run it course and that there is nothing that can be done medically.
Perhaps the most distressing problem with leprosy was the isolation that it brought. A leper was ostracized from all contact with society, because it was thought at the time that leprosy was highly contagious (which it is not). If this was not bad enough it was also thought that those who had contracted leprosy did so because of some great personal sin.
When the leper saw Jesus, he knew that this Man held life in his hands, he therefore did the unthinkable – he drew near. In spite of the prohibitions against contact with a healthy person, the leper approached Jesus and fell at his feet to beg for help. When the leper came into the presence of Jesus he first expressed an awareness of his own personal need when he said to Jesus, “You can make me clean. (v. 12) ”. The man not only said he was unclean, he knew that he was unclean. We need to recognize that God does not come those who see themselves as self-sufficient, who think that they can make it own their own. He comes to those who are ready to say, “I have tried it my way and have made a mess and now I am ready to try it your way.”
When this man fell at Jesus feet he, implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean”(v. 12). In the parallel account in Mark (1:40) the tense tells us that he repeated this several times, saying “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean - Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean - Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
There is not presumption on his part. No bargaining. No expectations.
This leper had not doubt of the Lord’s ability to heal; the only issue was whether or not it was His will to do so. This verse has much to teach to those who would be healed today.
Some Christians today believe that God has not only forgiven their sins, but that he has promised to make them healthy and wealthy in the bargain. Others believe that the “full gospel” includes not only holiness of heart and life, but healing of the body as well, based on Isaiah 53:3-6 and 1 Peter 2:24, “surely He took up our infirmities and carried away our sorrows…by His wounds we are healed”. They believe that this physical healing will occur, based on the faith of the individual, and that every Christian should “claim his or her physical healing.” But notice that the critical issue in the text was not the leper’s faith (Lord, if my belief is sufficient) nor the Lord’s power (Lord, if you are able) but the Lord’s will in this matter. A study of scripture reveals that there are occasions where it was God’s will that one of his children not be healed. It seems inconceivable then, that Paul would have battled with a sickness that he referred to as his “thorn in the flesh,” and not be healed (2 Cor. 12:7-9). Paul who had healed others could not heal himself, neither could he apparently heal Timothy, his son in the ministry, of his reoccurring stomach problems ( 1 Tim. 5:23). And shortly before his final Roman imprisonment he had to leave Trophimus behind in Miletus ill (2 Tim. 4:20).
Beginning in verse thirteen we see how Jesus responded to this man. “Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him.”
Again referring to the account in Mark (1:41) we learn that Christ was “moved with compassion.” When Jesus saw the need of this man the text says that Jesus “put out His hand and touched him.” This may was undoubtedly the first touch by a non-leprous hand in many years. How long had it been since he felt the tender touch of another human being? People avoided lepers, but Christ “touched’ him. It is hard to put into words what this touch meant to this man. The word “touched” means more than superficial contact it is often translated ‘to take hold of.’ At the very least Jesus firmly placed his hand on this man. The onlookers were shocked, the disciples were shocked but the leper felt loved. Why did Jesus do this? He could have healed him with just a word. He wanted the leper to feel his willingness and his sympathy. He then said to the man, “I am willing; be cleansed” (v. 13).
The result was that the man was that “… immediately the leprosy left him.” The healing was sudden and complete. I believe that immediately the man’s feet, which had become ulcerated stubs became whole; his fingerless hands, suddenly had fingers. He was completely and instantaneously healed. Deep sorrow was replaced by joy. Isolation was replaced by a return to fellowship.
Now Jesus charged him verse fourteen
“ … tell no one, “But go and show yourself
to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as
Moses commanded.”
The primary reason that he is sent to the priest is so that he can be a witness to the priest. He was to go a priest (singular) so that he could be a testimony to the priest (plural). The priest had no history of a Jewish man or woman being healed of leprosy in over 2000 years. The last recorded healing (of a Gentile named Namaan) occurred some 850 years earlier in the time of Elisha the prophet. Jesus was serving notice to the priest that the Messiah had arrived.
“Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”
Luke sets the stage for the new scene in a stuffy room, filled to overflowing with people. The house was filled with people. Luke alone in his gospel account reveals to us that many, perhaps most of those who in the house were “Pharisees and teachers of the law” (v. 17). The teachers of the law had no doubt come to hear Jesus, and to pass judgment on Him, and to decide what course of action to take towards him. Luke tells us that the teachers of the law were “sitting” in the room (v. 17). The seated position was the position of a teacher. The teacher in those days sat to teach. These teachers would not have stood, for to do so would be to concede Jesus’ authority as a teacher. By theIr unwillingness to stand they not only expressed their hostility, but they in so doing keep the paralytic from being brought to Jesus. Jesus will later condemn the Pharisee for this very attitude in Matthew 23:13 when he said to them “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in”
THE CRITICS AND THEIR GREAT SKEPTICISM CONTRASTED WITH
The paralytic was unable to come to Jesus
himself, but he was fortunate enough to have four friends who were able to get him to
Jesus. Verse eighteen, “Then behold, men
brought on a bed a man who was paralyzed, whom they sought to bring in and lay before
Him.” Some men
(Mark’s gospel (2:3) account says four) came bringing on a stretcher-like bed or
pallet a friend of theirs who was paralyzed. Finding
no way to because of the number of people present to get their friend to Jesus, they
resorted to a desperate measure. Verse
nineteen, “And when they could not find how they
might bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the housetop and let him down
with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus.
Mark tells us that the men came up with a novel approach to get their friend to Jesus; they dug through the roof. The houses of the day had flat roofs, made of tile or even of earth. It is kind of funny to think of what was happening below while these men dug through the roof. All this stuff (crud) was tumbling down on those seated below and who was that, the proud and stuffy Pharisees and Scribes. Can’t you see them scrambling out of the way, dusting them selves off and angrily demanding that the men on the roof stop what they are doing. Finally a hole large enough is made lower the man into the room. You look up to see four smiling dirty faces with a sheepish grin.
What drove the men to go to such length to get their friend to Jesus, was more than just love for their friend, but also the conviction that Jesus was the only hope that their friend had. Peter later boldly declared the same conviction when he said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). Similarly today when a Christian is really convinced that Jesus is the only way, he or she will go to great lengths to encourage his or her friends to come to Jesus. The belief in the principle is so important that it is the foundation, of all our evangelism and missions.
As the man was lowered by his friends into the room Jesus interrupted His teaching
to address himself to the man’s needs. In
verse twenty we are told, “When He saw their
faith, He said to him, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”
THE
RESPONSES TO THIS GREAT MIRACLE (vv. 21-26)
THE RESPONSE OF THIS MAN AND HIS FRIENDS.
I believe that this man and his friends were disappointed in the response of Jesus. This man had come to be healed not to have his sins forgiven. But how deeply our world needs to hear the message, “your sins are forgiven.” We Christians have the responsibility to tell the world the good news, “your sins are forgiven.” All you must do is believe in and appropriate that forgiveness.
THE RESPONSE OF THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS.
The Pharisees and teachers of the law were indignant at the presumptuousness of
Jesus. Verse twenty-one, “And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying,
“Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
The Pharisees were correct in interpreting that Jesus was assuming to Himself a power that belonged to God. He was therefore claiming to be God. The scribes and Pharisees called Jesus’ statement blasphemy, but it was blasphemy only if he were not God. What they were not willing to admit was that Jesus was God in the flesh.
In verse twenty-two we see the thoughts of the religious leaders. “But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, He answered and said to them,
“Why are you reasoning in your hearts? (23)
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up
and walk’?
Jesus was not answering something that the Pharisees had said, rather he was replying to the questions that they were thinking. He asked a very simple question: “Which would be easier to forgive sins or to heal?” Certainly it was easier to say to the man, “Your sins are forgiven!” than to say. “Rise up and walk.” Why? Because nobody could prove whether or not his sins were really forgiven.
THE RESPONSE OF THE PEOPLE (v. 26)
The response of the people is seen in verse 26, “And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with
fear, saying, “We have seen strange things today!”
Many different emotions swept through the crowd as they witnessed this miracle of healing. Some were “amazed” at what had happened and “glorified” God. At the same time they were “filled with fear” at this display of supernatural power.
It is interesting to consider the problem that this healing presented to the Pharisees. The Pharisees believed that sickness was a result of sin, and if this man was healed then his sins must have been forgiven. By healing this man Jesus proved to the Pharisee’s that He could also forgive sin.
These religious leaders should have been directing people to Jesus, but instead they were sitting in the way. They should have reached up to receive the poor cripple. But instead of love they showed indifference. Instead of faith they showed a critical spirit.
This story contrasts the faith of the stretcher-bearers with the unbelief of the sermon critics (the Pharisees and scribes).
Believed in Jesus Skeptical
Persistent in bringing others Resistant
Overcame Obstacles Created Obstacles
Wanted others to be blessed Rejected his blessings
[Stretcher Bears material drawn from Sermon entitled by Robert
Deffinbaugh “Stretcher Carriers and Sermon Critics.” (Sermon Central.com) ]
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